Drawer slide



C. J. DARGENE DRAWER SLIDE Nov. 14, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9,1963 wvsmSToW c Da rgene.

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United States Patent 3,352,617 DRAWER SLHDE Carl J. Dargcne, Rockford,111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Amerock Corporation, Rockford,111., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Oct. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 314,92514 Claims. (Cl. 312-343) This invention relates to a drawer slide of thetype which includes supporting means such as an elongated track orchannel mounted in a cabinet and receiving a roller carried by thedrawer to guide the drawer as it slides in and out.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improveddrawer slide which, as compared to prior slides, requires fewerfastening elements and fewer steps to mount it in a cabinet but which isheld accurately and securely in place once it is mounted in position.

A more detailed object is to construct the slide in a novel manner sothat it may simply be snapped into place on a cross rail in the front ofthe cabinet and held on the rail without the use of fastening elements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a cabinet in which the drawers are guided by a slide constructedaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the slide.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of the slide showing the end as it isprepared to be seated on the rail of the cabinet.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but with the parts in the mountedposition.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the slide.

FIG. 8 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the end portion ofthe slide.

FIG. 9 is a view of the slide.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the slide.

FIG. 11 is an end view of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but shows a further modification ofthe invention.

FIG. 13 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the form of slideshown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but shows still another embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side vie-w illustrating the manner of mountingthe form of slide shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form in which edges ofthe drawer are supported by rollers.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line1717 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary plan view showing one of the rollers mounted inplace.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a roller.

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention isembodied in a slide 20 (FIG. 2) for guiding the movement of the drawers21 of a cabinet 22. The latter includes spaced front and back walls 23and 24, sides 25 and a top 26 with the drawers 21 being inserted throughrectangular openings 27 in the front wall to slide on cross rails 28which form a part of the front wall. To support the drawer and to guideit as it is s-lid in and out, the slide includes anti-friction meanswhich, in the preferred form, supports the rear of the drawer andincludes a roller 29 (FIG. 2) journaled on a bracket 30 which isfastened to the rear of the drawer with the roller riding in anelongated track 31 which forms the principal component of the slide 20.

The track 31 is channel-shaped in cross section, opening to one side,and substantially spans the front and back walls 23 and 24. One end ofthe channel is fastened to the back wall by means of a bracket 32 which,herein, receives the channel and is mounted on the wall by nails or thelike and the'other end of the channel is supported by a rail 28.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a drawer slide witha novel means for securing it to the rail 28 without the use offastening elements such as nails, screws and the like. With theinvention, the slide is merely snapped into place relative to the railand, when in place, it is securely held and accurately positioned. Tothese ends, this means comprises an inverted U-shaped end piece 33carried by the slide so that the outer leg 34 of the piece projects downinto a slot or kerf 35 in the upper side 36 of the rail 28 and the innerleg 37 lies against the inner face 38 of the rail, the cross piece 39 ofthe U resting on the upper side of the rail. Preferably, a horizontalflange 40 projects forwardly from the lower end of the inner leg 37 tobe received in a kerf 41 in the face 33 of the rail so that the endpiece 33 may be snapped into place with the leg 34 and the flange 40projecting into the kerfs 35 and 41 to position the slide and preventits removal.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through10, the piece 33 is used to mount the channel 31 and is :formedseparately from the channel but is pivotally connected to the outer endof the latter so that the inner end of the channel may be inserted inthe bracket 32 before the outer end is positioned relative to the rail28. Thus, the outer end portion 42 of the channel is flattened andoverlaps a flat, rearwardly projecting bar or flange 43 on the piece 33.A rivet 44 projects through holes 45 and 46 (FIG. 8) in the end portion42 and the flange 43 to constitute the pivot connecting the piece 33 andthe channel 31.

With the foregoing arrangement, the slide 20 is mounted in the cabinet22 by first inserting the inner end of the channel 31 in the bracket 32.At this time, the channel is in a position in which it is tiltedupwardly and the piece 33 is turned down relative to the channel asshown in FIG. 2. With the parts thus positioned, the end of the outerleg 34 is located over the kerf 35 and the flange 40 is bearing againstthe inner face 38 of the rail 28 above the kerf 41. Then, the mountingis completed by pushing down on the slide adjacent the pivot 44. Thisforces the leg 34 into the kerf 35 and straightens the piece 33 relativeto the channel 31 so that the flange 4!) slides down along the face 38of the rail 28 and snaps into the kerf 41 at which time the leg 37 liesagainst the face 38. The legs 34 and 37 and the flange 40 yield slightlyduring this final mounting step to permit the flange to slide toward thekerf 41 and snap into position. If desired, the leg 34 may be bentoutwardly a small amount and the end of the flange 40 flared downwardlyas illustrated at 47 in FIG. 5 to help guide these parts into theirrespective kerfs. When the leg 37 is against the rail 28, the pivot 44cannot move further downwardly and the piece 33 and channel 31 are rigidrelative to each other under the weight of the drawer 21 as transmittedthrough the roller 29. Preferably, the leg 37 is received in a recess 38(FIG. 5) which is cut in the face 38 and which is approximately the samewidth as the leg to prevent the piece 33 from moving laterally along therail 28.

Preferably, means is provided to latch the piece 33 against movementrelative to the channel 31 after the slide 20 is in its mounted positionthereby to prevent the slide from being lifted out of the cabinet andafford a relatively permanent mounting of the slide. This meanscomprises a latch or detent 48 which is connected to the piece 33 andengages a surface 49 on the channel 31 to prevent the piece from turningclockwise relative to the channel after the parts reach their finalmounted position.

In the form shown in FIG. 1 through 10, the detent 48 is an ear struckout laterally from the flange 43 adjacent the lower edge thereof and inthe front half of the flange. In back of the ear 48, the flange is cutaway as indicated at 50 (FIG. 8) to' form a rearwardly facing edge 51offset from the plane of the flange. The edge 51 is spaced in front ofthe pivot 44. a distance equal to the distance between the pivot and theforward end of the channel 31,'it being this end of the channel whichcon- 'stitutes the surface 49 which is engaged by the detent or ear 48.Thus, when the piece 33 is turned relative to the channel as shown inFIGS. 2 and 6, the flange 43 and the end portion 42 of the channelfyield slightly to permit the ear to pass alongside this end portion asthe slide 20 is mounted. As the piece 33 becomes seated on the rail 28with the leg 34. and flange 40 projected into the kerfs 35 and 41, theear 48 passes beyond the end of the channel and snaps over in front ofthe channel end portion 42 so that the edge 51 of the ear engages theend 49 of the channel. Such engagement prevents the end piece 33 fromturning back and locks the entire slide 20 in the mounted position.

If desired, a lock washer 52 may be used under the head of the rivet 44as shown in FIG. 11. In such a case, the lock washer may be especiallyadapted to constitute the latch 48 as shown in FIGS. 12. and 13 in whichthe parts corresponding to those of the preferred embodiment areindicated by the same but primed reference characters. For this purpose,the flange 43' is struck out of the leg 37' of the end piece 33' so thatthe flange is centrally disposed relative to the end piece and the holes46' and 45 in the flange and the end portion 42 of the channel 31' areadjacent the upper and forward edges of these parts. A square hole 53 iscut in the end portion 42 and a square notch 54 is cut in the, edge ofthe flange 43' to match the hole 53 when the end piece 33 is fullyseated on the rail 28. Integral with the washer 52' is a spring finger55 which projects into the notch 54- and is biased toward the channelend portion 42'. When the notch and the hole 53 are alined, the fingersnaps into the hole and holds the flange 43' and the end portion 42'against relative turning.

, In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the U-shaped endpiece 33" is formed integrally with the channel 31" on the outer endthereof. The configuration and function of the legs 34" and 37", thecrosspiece 39" and the flange 40", however, are the same as in thepreferred form of the invention. The principal difference resides in thefact that the mounting steps are reversed. Instead of fastening thebracket 32" to the back wall 24" of the cabinet, the bracket is simplyslipped over the inner end of the channel 31". The latter then is tiltedas shown in FIG. 15, to prepare the leg 34 and flange 40 for entry intothe kerfs 35" and 41" in the rail 28". Then the channel is swungcounterclockwise to seat the end piece 33" onthe rail and to bring thechannel to the horizontal position shown in broken lines in FIG. 15, theback wall 24 bowing slightly to permit such swinging. Finally, thebracket 32" is nailed, stapled or otherwise fastened to the back wall.

T he invention may also be utilized in connection with anti-frictionmeans for supporting and guiding the edges of the drawer 21 asillustrated in FIGS. 16 through 19. In this case, the anti-frictionmeans comprises two rollers 56 mounted on the cross rail 28 of thecabinet with one mounted at each side of the drawer to support therespective side panels 57 of the drawer. The rollers may, as shown, heused in conjunction With'a channel 3 and IO1 4. 29 which are identicalin construction tothat shown in FIGS. 1 through 10.

Each roller 56 is carried by a piece 58 which, like the piece 33, ismounted on the cross rail 28 by utilizing the kerfs 35 and 41 andwithout fastening elements. Thus, each roller is supported by a U-shapedpiece 58 which is formed with one leg 59 projecting down into the kerf35 and the other leg 60 lying against the inside of the cross rail in arecess 61 (FIG. 18), the crosspiece 62 lying on the top of the rail.Since the piece 58 is the-only means of support for the roller 56, theleg 59 is bent inwardly a small amount so that the cross rail 28 isgrippedfirmly between the two legs 59 and 60. The flange 63 whichprojects into the werf 41 extends across only the central portion of theleg 60 and is in the form of an ear struck out from the body of thepiece 58.

To support the roller 56, arms 64 integral with the piece 58 projectrearwardly from opposite side edges of the leg 60 and the roller isdisposed between these arms and journaled on the latter by means of apin or axle 65. The roller may be molded from a suitable plasticmaterial and is formed with a radial flange 66 which is adapted toengage the outside of the corresponding drawer panel 57 to hold thedrawer against lateral shifting as it is slid in and out.

It will be observed that, with a slide 20 constructed according to thepresent invention, the only fastening ele ments required to mount theslide in a cabinet 22 are those used to fasten the bracket 32 to theback wall 24. Beyond that, the slide merely is snapped into place and,when mounted, it is held securely in the cabinet. The only specialpreparation required is the cutting of the kerfs 35 and 41 and thismaybe done by high speed production methods during the manufacture ofthe cabinet I claim as my invention: f

1. A guide unit for controllingmovement of a drawer along a fixed lineof travel between open and closed ost tions relative to a drawercontaining area defined by a horizontal front support and a tracksupport in rearwardly spaced opposed relation to said front support, atrack member having a rear end portion with which said track supportcooperates to provide a horizontal axis about which said track memberhas downward rocking move= ment to efiect movement of the forward end ofsaid track member into a downward position conforming to 1 an operativeposition of said track member wherein said track member extends along afixed line in rearwardly projecting relation to said front support, saidtrack mem going movement into said downward position, a track extensionmember pivotally connected to said forward end of the track member forswinging movement relative to said track member between a forwardlyextended position and a rearwardly retracted position, said extensionmember engaging said front support and swinging relative to said trackmember from said rearwardly retracted position to said forwardlyextended position as said track member is undergoing movement into saiddownward position, and said extension member having engagement with saidfront support to limit vertical movement of said track member relativeto said front support while said track member is in said downwardposition and said extension member is in said forwardlyextendedposition.

2. A guide unit according to claim 1, wherein said track member and saidextension member have interengaging means effective to lock saidextension member against movement to a retracted position from anextended position.

3. A guide unit according to claim 1, wherein said extension member hasengagement with said front support to limit vertical movement of saidtrack member relative to said front support via a projecting pair offorwardly projecting claw members spaced apart circumferentially of thearc of pivotal movement of said extension member relative to said trackmember.

4. A guide adapted to be mounted on horizontally spaced frame members ofa cabinet and comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the innerside of one of said frame members, an elongated channel having one endreceived in said bracket and projecting horizontally toward the other ofsaid frame members, a bar having one end pivotally connected to theother end of said channel to turn relative to the channel about an axisextending transversely of the channel, said bar having a U- shaped partrigidly connected to the other end of said bar and including inner andouter legs projecting downwardly and disposed in planes paralleling saidaxis, said inner leg bearing against the inner side of the other of saidframe members and said outer leg projecting down into an upwardlyopening slot formed in said other frame member, and a flange projectingforwardly from said inner leg and into a second slot formed in saidinner side.

5. A guide adapted to be mounted on horizontally spaced frame members ofa cabinet and comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the innerside of one of said frame members, an elongated channel having one endreceived in said bracket and projecting horizontally toward the other ofsaid frame members, and a bar having one end pivotally connected to theother end of said channel to turn relative to the channel about an axisextending transversely of the channel, said bar having a U- shaped partrigidly connected to the other end of said bar and including inner andouter legs projecting downwardly and disposed in planes paralleling saidaxis, said inner leg bearing against the inner side of the other of saidframe members and said outer leg projecting down into an upwardlyopening slot formed in said other frame member.

6. A guide adapted to be mounted on spaced frame members of a cabinet toreceive a roller carried by a drawer, said guide comprising an elongatedchannel extending horizontally between and substantially spanning saidframe members, means secured to one of said frame members and removablyreceiving one end of said channel, an inverted U-shaped part overlappingthe other end of said channel with the inner leg of said part bearingagainst the inner side of the other of said frame members and the outerleg projecting downwardly into an upwardly opening slot formed in saidother frame member, and a pivot connecting the overlapped portions ofsaid channel and said part whereby the latter may turn relative to thechannel as said outer leg is projected into said slot.

7. A guide adapted to be mounted on horizontally spaced frame members ofa cabinet and comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the innerside of one of said frame members, an elongated channel having one endreceived in said bracket and projecting horizontally toward the other ofsaid frame members, a bar having one end pivotally connected to theother end of said channel to turn relative to the channel about an axisextending transversely of the channel, said bar having a U-shaped partrigidly connected to the other end of said bar and including inner andouter legs projecting downwardly and disposed in planes paralleling saidaxis, said inner leg bearing against the inner side of the other of saidframe members and said outer leg projecting down into an upwardlyopening slot formed in said other frame member, and a latch actingbetween said channel and said bar and operable to prevent upwardmovement of the pivotal connection between the two.

8. A guide adapted to be mounted on horizontally spaced frame members ofa cabinet and comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the innerside of one of said frame members, an elongated channel having one endreceived in said bracket and projecting horizontally toward the other ofsaid frame members, a bar having one end pivotally connected to theother end of said channel to turn relative to the channel about an axisextending transversely of the channel, said bar having a U-shaped partrigidly connected to the other end of said bar and including inner andouter legs projecting downwardly and disposed in planes paralleling saidaxis, said inner leg bearing against the inner side of the other of saidframe members and said outer leg projecting down into an upwardlyopening slot formed in said other frame member, a flange projectingforwardly from the lower end of said inner leg into a second slot formedin said inner side, and a latch acting between said channel and said barand operable to prevent upward movement of the pivotal connectionbetween the two.

9. A guide adapted to be mounted on horizontally spaced frame members ofa cabinet and comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the innerside of one of said frame members, an elongated channel having one endreceived in said bracket and projecting horizontally toward the other ofsaid frame members, a bar having one end pivotally connected to theother end of said channel to turn relative to the channel about an axisextending transversely of the channel, said bar having a U- shaped partrigidly connected to the other end of said bar and including inner andouter legs projecting downwardly and disposed in planes paralleling saidaxis, said inner leg bearing against the inner side of the other of saidframe members and said outer leg projecting down into an upwardlyopening slot formed in said other frame member, and surfaces formed onsaid channel and said bar to oppose and abut each other when said innerleg bears against said inner side and prevent relative turning of thebar and the channel.

10. A guide adapted to be mounted on horizontally spaced frame membersof a cabinet and comprising a bracket adapted to be mounted on the innerside of one of said frame members, an elongated channel having one endpivotally connected to the other end of said channel toward the other ofsaid frame members, a bar having one end pivotally connected to theother end if said channel to turn relative to the channel about an axisextending transversely of the channel, said bar having a U-shaped partrigidly connected to the other end of said bar and including inner andouter legs projecting downwardly and disposed in planes paralleling saidaxis, said inner leg bearing against the inner side of the other of saidframe members and said outer leg projecting down into an upwardlyopening slot formed in said other frame member, surfaces formedrespectively on said channel and said bar to be alined when said innerleg bears against said inner side, and a spring finger carried by saidchannel and operable when said surfaces are alined to snap in behind thesurfaces and prevent relative turning of the bar and the channel.

11. In a cabinet having a drawer opening, the combina tion of, anelongated horizontal frame member extending along the bottom of saidopening and having a first slot extending longitudinally thereof andformed in the upper side of said frame member, an inverted U-shaped parthaving a first legs projecting into said slot and a second leg lyingagainst the inner side of said frame member and connected to said firstleg by a cross piece, said frame member having a second longitudinalslot formed in said inner side, a flange rigid with said second leg andprojecting into said second slot, the length of said cross piece beingsubstantially equal to the distance from the inner side of said framemember to the adjacent side of said first slot and said flange beingspaced from said cross piece a distance substantially equal to thespacing of the upper side of the frame member from the adjacent edge ofsaid second slot, said U-shaped part being of resilient material toyield as said first leg and said flange are in serted in said slots andthereafter to grip said slot sides, and supporting means carried by saidpart and adapted to support and guide a drawer for sliding in saidopening.

said supporting means is an elongated channel rigid with said U-shapedpart.

14. The combination as defined in claim 11 in which said supportingmeans is a roller journaled on said U- shaped part.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ 1898 Pfau 248-224 X 4/ 1909Witzal.

8 Loftin et a1 308-35 Brewer 312-343 Himelreich 312-342 Wilson 312-443Dargene 312--343 Fremstad et al 312 343 Hillson et a1 312343 X ROY D.FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

1O FRANK B. SHERRY, CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS,

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiners.

F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. A GUIDE UNIT FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF A DRAWER ALONG A FIXED LINEOF TRAVEL BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS RELATIVE TO A DRAWERCONTAINING AREA DEFINED BY A HORIZONTAL FRONT SUPPORT AND A TRACKSUPPORT IN REARWARDLY SPACED OPPOSED RELATION TO SAID FRONT SUPPORT, ATRACK MEMBER HAVING A REAR END PORTION WITH WHICH SAID TRACK SUPPORTCOOPERATES TO PROVIDE A HORIZONTAL AXIS ABOUT WHICH SAID TRACK MEMBERHAS DOWNWARD ROCKING MOVEMENT TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF THE FORWARD END OFSAID TRACK MEMBER INTO A DOWNWARD POSITION CONFORMING TO AN OPERATIVEPOSITION OF SAID TRACK MEMBER WHEREIN SAID TRACK MEMBER EXTENDS ALONG AFIXED LINE IN REARWARDLY PROJECTING RELATION TO SAID FRONT SUPPORT, SAIDTRACK MEMBER BEING SUFFICIENTLY SHORTER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAIDFRONT SUPPORT AND SAID TRACK SUPPORT MEASURED LENGTHWISE OF SAID LINE ASTO PERMIT THE FORWARD END OF SAID TRACK MEMBER TO CLEAR SAID FRONTSUPPORT WHILE UNDERGOING MOVEMENT INTO SAID DOWNWARD POSITION, A TRACKEXTENSION MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FORWARD END OF THE TRACKMEMBER FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID TRACK MEMBER BETWEEN AFORWARDLY EXTENDED POSITION